Cablegram UNP54, CANBERRA, 27 October 1948, 8.25 a.m.
SECRET
Palestine. Your Austdel 117.
It seems to us that the Assembly should concentrate its initial effort upon establishing formal peace in the terms of the first conclusion to Bernadotte’s report. The continued presence of hostile armies in Palestine will inevitably lead the parties to contest by force of arms a political settlement which does not meet their full requirements. Urgent need therefore is for withdrawal and demobilisation, or the creation of demilitarized zones.
Assembly might also advise the Council under Article 10 that repeated instructions to cease fire[1], when the Council has already determined to employ sanctions in the event of further breaches of the peace, will gravely weaken the effect of similar reference to Chapter VII of the Charter which the Council may desire to make in the future.[2]
_[1] The Security Council had issued several orders since May 1948.
[2] Chapter VII deals with threats to the peace, breaches of the peace and acts of aggression.
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[AA : A1838, 852/10/11, I]